I recently posted some snack options that I use for my son. But they're not good choices for me since right now I'm trying to keep myself off gluten and most dairy.
(I would be doing this with my son too, but we live with so many people, some of whom are grandpa types who aren't on board with trying it so I'm opting not to rather than cause family strife. He's doing more or less good as it is! I'm happy to be getting more protien into him as that seems to help a lot! Family living is all about give and take.)
But for myself, I'm trying to keep off the grains and dairy. So what can I snack on myself? Well, I love the fact that I can have a bit of fruit on this eating plan. I can't go overboard because I have a definate craving response to carbs, but I do let myself have a piece of fruit or so a day. Mostly lately, it's been in the form of smoothies as a meal. But a piece of fruit for a snack is always good! Especially when I combine it with some nut butter (cashew or almond).
Cheese was my go-to option when I was on atkins. I LOVE cheese. Here on this, I've decided to cut it out to a RARE treat. (There is some raw milk cheese that our CSA sells that is phenomenal!) By rare though I mean..maybe once a week I sneak a bit off the end of the block and let the family eat up the rest.
We're swamped with veggies from our CSA and farmers market right now so that's also a good way to go. Raw zucchini, green peppers, cauliflower or broccoli sprinkled with a little salt...and just crunch away! Add some protein in the form of a boiled egg and you're good to go!
Speaking of boiled eggs, pickled eggs! Now, this is a new phenomenon to me, since I didn't grow up here in Amish country but came as an adult, but they make some amazing "Beet eggs" or eggs pickled in beet juice around here. Of course, the recipe needs some tweaking to be made primal" (mostly to get rid of the sugar!) but boy do I love having these in the fridge as a go-to snack!
Beet Pickled Eggs
Primal Beet Pickled Eggs:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey or sugar substitute (Splenda- it's not primal or paleo with this though but it makes it so my diabetic dad can enjoy)
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
juice from large can (15 oz) red beets
12 hard boiled eggs
Beets left over from the can
Boil first seven ingrediants for 10 minutes (full boil). Pour over the 12 hard boiled eggs and red beets.Place in container with tight lid. Refrigerate. Lightly shake jar every few minutes to evenly coat all the eggs.
These are best if they are left sit in the fridge for 1-2 days so the eggs can really absorb the mixture. They don't last long in our house but they do keep for a while in the fridge.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Hurting inside?
I've talked before about my struggles with depression, in a post to give some insight as to what natural depression "remedies" are out there, what I've tried myself and how well it worked. But let's think about depression now in larger picture mode?
Depression is a proven chemical imbalance, brain malfunction that many people experience. It can come about naturally or it can be "nurtured" through traumatic experiences. Mine comes from both. I won't go into the trauma in my life here, but I will say that there is depression firmly rooted on both sides of my genetic pool.
But it's still so stigmatized. Even now I hear solutions to the problem being thrown out like "working will solve anything" and "just eat right and exercise and you'll be fine." Depression reaches it's tentacles into every facet of one's life and it's not as easily dismissed as going to work and eating a balanced diet. Not for many people, and mine is documented as MEDICATION RESISTANT and long term. It will never simply go away.
Some things to think about when it comes to dealing with depression.
1. It often manifests itself into very physical forms. Aches and pains that are non-specific and generalized. Headaches, belly aches, muscle aches.
2. It can present itself as irritability, anger and anxiety.
3. It can seriously affect your sleep cycles and your circadian rhythm, making you wake up early, struggle with falling asleep and excessively tired during the day.
4. Anhedonia or the complete loss of joy in all things is a SERIOUS and debilitating side effect of ongoing/chronic depression.
5. There are intense and sort lived depressions and ones that last a life time. It's more than just having a 'morose' personality, it's an ongoing struggle.
6. People who are depressed do NOT want it. They are not creating in on purpose or keeping it up for attention, though attention may be part of what is needed to break the cycle and some of the behaviors may indeed be a "cry for help". These people want to work and be productive, want to be happy and fulfilled in life, want to keep on top of things and be joyful. But it's an honest struggle.
7. People with depression are not lazy. Laziness is something else entirely.
8. Depression, even mild depression, can cause seriously disabling effects on a persons life.
9. There is no magic bullet or pill or therapy that will work for everybody. The cause of depression is so varied and widespread, so naturally so are the things that help.
10. Depression is not just a mental illness, but a physical one. It should be considered as such.
My own struggles are ongoing and will probably always be so. I have come to the realization that the more I talk about it, the more I share, the more empowered I am over it myself. It's not a deep dark or shameful secret, but a hard fact of life. It's not a stigma and shouldn't be anymore uncomfortable or shocking to people than saying "I have a cold" or "I have a heart condition". It's a disease that I have. No more than that, and it affects every single thing I do, the same as that heart condition would.
Depression is a proven chemical imbalance, brain malfunction that many people experience. It can come about naturally or it can be "nurtured" through traumatic experiences. Mine comes from both. I won't go into the trauma in my life here, but I will say that there is depression firmly rooted on both sides of my genetic pool.
But it's still so stigmatized. Even now I hear solutions to the problem being thrown out like "working will solve anything" and "just eat right and exercise and you'll be fine." Depression reaches it's tentacles into every facet of one's life and it's not as easily dismissed as going to work and eating a balanced diet. Not for many people, and mine is documented as MEDICATION RESISTANT and long term. It will never simply go away.
Some things to think about when it comes to dealing with depression.
1. It often manifests itself into very physical forms. Aches and pains that are non-specific and generalized. Headaches, belly aches, muscle aches.
2. It can present itself as irritability, anger and anxiety.
3. It can seriously affect your sleep cycles and your circadian rhythm, making you wake up early, struggle with falling asleep and excessively tired during the day.
4. Anhedonia or the complete loss of joy in all things is a SERIOUS and debilitating side effect of ongoing/chronic depression.
5. There are intense and sort lived depressions and ones that last a life time. It's more than just having a 'morose' personality, it's an ongoing struggle.
6. People who are depressed do NOT want it. They are not creating in on purpose or keeping it up for attention, though attention may be part of what is needed to break the cycle and some of the behaviors may indeed be a "cry for help". These people want to work and be productive, want to be happy and fulfilled in life, want to keep on top of things and be joyful. But it's an honest struggle.
7. People with depression are not lazy. Laziness is something else entirely.
8. Depression, even mild depression, can cause seriously disabling effects on a persons life.
9. There is no magic bullet or pill or therapy that will work for everybody. The cause of depression is so varied and widespread, so naturally so are the things that help.
10. Depression is not just a mental illness, but a physical one. It should be considered as such.
My own struggles are ongoing and will probably always be so. I have come to the realization that the more I talk about it, the more I share, the more empowered I am over it myself. It's not a deep dark or shameful secret, but a hard fact of life. It's not a stigma and shouldn't be anymore uncomfortable or shocking to people than saying "I have a cold" or "I have a heart condition". It's a disease that I have. No more than that, and it affects every single thing I do, the same as that heart condition would.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
No Coffee Creamer? WHAT WILL YOU DO???
I've been trying to follow a paleo/primal lifestyle lately, which is not as hard as it sounds (or extremely hard....depending on the day!) One of the big changes that seems to always happen for me when I take on a new diet, is trying to sort out my beverage selections for the morning. I LOVE my coffee, and coffee is on the 'unclear' list in the paleo/primal community so I've had to give this some serious thought. My pre-primal days (eat what you want and get really fat) my coffee sported non-dairy creamer and plenty of good ol' sugar. Then I went to my atkins diet phase, where my coffee went to real cream and splenda. Now that I'm doing primal....what should I do??
I've explored several options and I think maybe I've found a workable solution: Full fat coconut milk and stevia. Yes, stevia is also on the "questionable" list. Yes, I should probably learn to take my coffee without the sweet but...all things in time, right now I have enough changes in my diet life to want to let go of this small thing. I am REALLY liking the coconut milk as creamer though. I found an organic brand that doesn't have any added sugar or strangeness that I've been using. (But...it does come in a can, which makes me wonder if I should be worrying about BPA...) It's creamy and sweetish and coconut and coffee marry really well together. YUM.
Another option I've tried is grass fed butter, BLENDED into the coffee. (If you don't blend, it won't mix in well.) This is...interesting. I like it, it's definately creamy and froths up beautifully when I whir it through our blendtec. But butter...dairy. I guess it's better than most dairy, being grass fed and all (and I'm still sneaking in bits of RAW heavy cream when I can find it at the farmers market. What WILL I do when the season is over?)
If you are unfamiliar with the paleo or primal diet, I reccomend you start with Mark's Daily Apple (Primal) and The Paleo Diet (paleo). I lovingly refer to both as the "caveman diet" which amuses my kids to no end. By the way, they are not the same, just...similar...I'm not sure yet which one I'll be following religiously since I'm still considering how addicted I am to my coffee.
I've explored several options and I think maybe I've found a workable solution: Full fat coconut milk and stevia. Yes, stevia is also on the "questionable" list. Yes, I should probably learn to take my coffee without the sweet but...all things in time, right now I have enough changes in my diet life to want to let go of this small thing. I am REALLY liking the coconut milk as creamer though. I found an organic brand that doesn't have any added sugar or strangeness that I've been using. (But...it does come in a can, which makes me wonder if I should be worrying about BPA...) It's creamy and sweetish and coconut and coffee marry really well together. YUM.
Another option I've tried is grass fed butter, BLENDED into the coffee. (If you don't blend, it won't mix in well.) This is...interesting. I like it, it's definately creamy and froths up beautifully when I whir it through our blendtec. But butter...dairy. I guess it's better than most dairy, being grass fed and all (and I'm still sneaking in bits of RAW heavy cream when I can find it at the farmers market. What WILL I do when the season is over?)
If you are unfamiliar with the paleo or primal diet, I reccomend you start with Mark's Daily Apple (Primal) and The Paleo Diet (paleo). I lovingly refer to both as the "caveman diet" which amuses my kids to no end. By the way, they are not the same, just...similar...I'm not sure yet which one I'll be following religiously since I'm still considering how addicted I am to my coffee.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Cozi or Google Calendar?
We have a large family all trying to function and live under one roof. Recently it became very clear that we needed a better way to organize our family schedule (we missed a vital appointment...or two). So I started looking into the world of Apps for help electronically.
We are not technologically advanced here at the Crunch Away house, but we aren't in the dark ages either. In this house are four kindle fires, two ipads, three lap top computers and two desk tops. And two smart phones. (Neither of which are mine, I use the extremely basic but FREE cell phone my work provides me). So with all this technology at our finger tips, it should be easy to find a calendar we can all share and use, right?
Well, it actually hasn't been that easy. The first one I chose was Cozi Family Calendar.
What I liked about it:
There's a family log in and then you can all log in using your own email. This allows for appointments for yourself to be sent only to your email if you want, nice for the adults in the house who don't want to bombard everybody else with their stuff.
It's free!
It includes a family shopping list, to do list and journal, handy for keeping notes on the day to day events.
What is hard about it:
My mom has trouble with her eyes and the App only has one view, a scroll of days. It made it impossible for her to see and follow in her smart phone.
You only get one reminder for your appointments unless you pay for an upgrade. Not something we wanted to do at this time.
So I switched us to google calendar:
So far, it works for all three adults (I can only use it n the computer)
You can see your calendar in weekly, monthly or daily format which is very nice
You can color code each persons events
You can link multiple calendars fairly easily by "sharing" your calendar with them.
What I don't like:
I can't use it on my Kindle Fire since there's not an App for google on the fire (and from what I read, not likely to ever be one since the Fire is a "forked" android.)
The kids can't see it because they only use their fires for Internet access. (We have pretty strict Internet rules around here...and the fire keeps them off chatting since it's not easy to chat on it).
So, what kind of calendar do you use to keep yourselves organized? Any tips or suggestions for our family?
We are not technologically advanced here at the Crunch Away house, but we aren't in the dark ages either. In this house are four kindle fires, two ipads, three lap top computers and two desk tops. And two smart phones. (Neither of which are mine, I use the extremely basic but FREE cell phone my work provides me). So with all this technology at our finger tips, it should be easy to find a calendar we can all share and use, right?
Well, it actually hasn't been that easy. The first one I chose was Cozi Family Calendar.
What I liked about it:
There's a family log in and then you can all log in using your own email. This allows for appointments for yourself to be sent only to your email if you want, nice for the adults in the house who don't want to bombard everybody else with their stuff.
It's free!
It includes a family shopping list, to do list and journal, handy for keeping notes on the day to day events.
What is hard about it:
My mom has trouble with her eyes and the App only has one view, a scroll of days. It made it impossible for her to see and follow in her smart phone.
You only get one reminder for your appointments unless you pay for an upgrade. Not something we wanted to do at this time.
So I switched us to google calendar:
So far, it works for all three adults (I can only use it n the computer)
You can see your calendar in weekly, monthly or daily format which is very nice
You can color code each persons events
You can link multiple calendars fairly easily by "sharing" your calendar with them.
What I don't like:
I can't use it on my Kindle Fire since there's not an App for google on the fire (and from what I read, not likely to ever be one since the Fire is a "forked" android.)
The kids can't see it because they only use their fires for Internet access. (We have pretty strict Internet rules around here...and the fire keeps them off chatting since it's not easy to chat on it).
So, what kind of calendar do you use to keep yourselves organized? Any tips or suggestions for our family?
Monday, August 27, 2012
High protein snacks and meals for the ADHD/asperger's child
My son does best when he has a good amount of protein (and a very limited sugar) with each meal and snack. This seems to help him to focus better and get through the day with less frustration. Here are some things we like. It's only what has worked for us, many will find dairy and/or wheat/gluten aggravate symptoms, so these may not be helpful for you:
5 high protein snacks:
1. Cheese and apples. Apples with peanut butter or cashew butter to dip in (add a little flax or chia seed for a boost of omega 3s!) Apples with yogurt to dip in.
2. Raw Cashew butter (sweetened with a little honey if needed) spread onto a banana. Top with raisins and you have "Ants on a raft". Or spread the cashew butter and honey on a whole wheat tortilla and wrap it around the sliced banana.
3. Chicken tenders, breaded with a little Parmesan cheese and baked through. Dunked in BBQ sauce. A small portion makes an awesome snack. Great to make ahead and reheat when your kiddo is hungry.
4. Cottage Cheese mixed with a little bit of apple butter.
5. Greek Yogurt (home made is awesome!) mixed with a little bit of honey and some blueberries.
Five high protein lunches:
1. Bean soup with ham, sausage or bacon.
2. Cuts of turkey or ham with honey mustard sauce for dipping. Carrot sticks and an apple an with peanut butter to dip in.
3. Spread cottage cheese on a whole wheat tortilla: add shredded carrots or broccoli slaw, salt and pepper and a little Italian dressing to taste for a crunchy wrap.
4. Make tuna or salmon salad: Drain a can of tuna or salmon and mix with 1/4 cup mayo, 4-5 cut up baby dill pickles, one stalk of celery sliced in half long ways then diced, and 1/4 of an onion chopped fine. Put a scoop on top of a bed of lettuce and let them mix it in. We also love TACO salads. Brown hamburger or turkey meat, season with taco seasoning. Serve over lettuce and top with sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa.
5. Make a big pot of chili for lunches through out the week. Beans and meat along with tomatoes and veggies kept warm in a thermos (if your kids are heading off to school). Send along also some apple slices and yogurt to dip them in.
Five high protein breakfasts:
1. Breakfast burritos: spoon scrambled eggs into a whole wheat tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Add a bit of salsa and wrap it up.
2. Egg muffins: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/10/egg-muffins-revisited-again.html Make these ahead and pop them into the fridge to be reheated. Makes a nice little snack too! Warm one up, top with a little salsa and snack away!
3. Fry and egg in a little butter and put onto a toasted whole wheat english muffin. Add a slice of cheese and eat as a sandwich.
4. Make a breakfast protein smooth. 1/2-1 cup of cold milk, mixed with 1/4-1/2 cup of frozen fruit blend (we loved mixed berries) 1/2 of a frozen banana (all the sweetener you'll likely need!) and a scoop of protein powder. Blend away and enjoy!
5. Make a coffee protein smoothie...this may be helpful with ADHD symptoms IF your kid is not already on a stimulant (to much stimulation...to much of a good thing!)
Blend 1 cup cold mild, 2 tbsp of general mills french vanilla instant coffee mix (the powered presweetened kind), a big hand full of ice cubes and a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
5 high protein snacks:
1. Cheese and apples. Apples with peanut butter or cashew butter to dip in (add a little flax or chia seed for a boost of omega 3s!) Apples with yogurt to dip in.
2. Raw Cashew butter (sweetened with a little honey if needed) spread onto a banana. Top with raisins and you have "Ants on a raft". Or spread the cashew butter and honey on a whole wheat tortilla and wrap it around the sliced banana.
3. Chicken tenders, breaded with a little Parmesan cheese and baked through. Dunked in BBQ sauce. A small portion makes an awesome snack. Great to make ahead and reheat when your kiddo is hungry.
4. Cottage Cheese mixed with a little bit of apple butter.
5. Greek Yogurt (home made is awesome!) mixed with a little bit of honey and some blueberries.
Five high protein lunches:
1. Bean soup with ham, sausage or bacon.
2. Cuts of turkey or ham with honey mustard sauce for dipping. Carrot sticks and an apple an with peanut butter to dip in.
3. Spread cottage cheese on a whole wheat tortilla: add shredded carrots or broccoli slaw, salt and pepper and a little Italian dressing to taste for a crunchy wrap.
4. Make tuna or salmon salad: Drain a can of tuna or salmon and mix with 1/4 cup mayo, 4-5 cut up baby dill pickles, one stalk of celery sliced in half long ways then diced, and 1/4 of an onion chopped fine. Put a scoop on top of a bed of lettuce and let them mix it in. We also love TACO salads. Brown hamburger or turkey meat, season with taco seasoning. Serve over lettuce and top with sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa.
5. Make a big pot of chili for lunches through out the week. Beans and meat along with tomatoes and veggies kept warm in a thermos (if your kids are heading off to school). Send along also some apple slices and yogurt to dip them in.
Five high protein breakfasts:
1. Breakfast burritos: spoon scrambled eggs into a whole wheat tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Add a bit of salsa and wrap it up.
2. Egg muffins: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/10/egg-muffins-revisited-again.html Make these ahead and pop them into the fridge to be reheated. Makes a nice little snack too! Warm one up, top with a little salsa and snack away!
3. Fry and egg in a little butter and put onto a toasted whole wheat english muffin. Add a slice of cheese and eat as a sandwich.
4. Make a breakfast protein smooth. 1/2-1 cup of cold milk, mixed with 1/4-1/2 cup of frozen fruit blend (we loved mixed berries) 1/2 of a frozen banana (all the sweetener you'll likely need!) and a scoop of protein powder. Blend away and enjoy!
5. Make a coffee protein smoothie...this may be helpful with ADHD symptoms IF your kid is not already on a stimulant (to much stimulation...to much of a good thing!)
Blend 1 cup cold mild, 2 tbsp of general mills french vanilla instant coffee mix (the powered presweetened kind), a big hand full of ice cubes and a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
A few of my favorite things: Music
I'm into folk music. I love a guitar and a string of lyrics that tells a story with poetry. I tend to avoid mass produced music like pop and popular country but it does occaisionally sneak into the mix.It's really hard to pinpoint exactly what makes you love an artist, sometimes. Sometimes you develop an obsession with a voice, with alyrical style or message that an artist develops. Sometimes it's just simply an undefinable..SOMETHING.
I thought I'd share a few of my favorite artists:
Joe Purdy: I found him a few years ago and continue to obsess over his catalogue. He's one of those lyricists that haunt you with lines of poetry mixed with a hard message. His voice is amazing, tender and gravelly all at once. Some of his albums it's just him and his guitar, some it's a full band. He borders on old school at times then pushes into folk rock. I am always delighted and surprised by his offerings. Check out his website, they have the option to listen to most of his catalogue online. The complete songs even.
Damian Rice: I admit, I liked Damien a whole lot better when he was with back up vocalist, Lisa Hannigan. But still, he's one of my go to artists when I want something deep, a bit dark and definately folksy. His lyrics are sometimes hard and sometimes soft, always filled with layers of meanings so that each listener can gain what they wish from them.
Kate Tucker: I'm obsessed with her voice! Kate snuck into my Ipod through the back door after I purchased a song "you may also like...". I didn't listen to the song for some time and suddenly it came across on shuffle. I was blown away by how sweet and simple her voice is. Her lyrics are pure and honest, sometimes raw and sometimes guarded. I immediately went and downloaded her entire albums and love every selection.
Chris Pureka: Raw lyrics about life and love and heartbreak mixed with some amazing guitar playing and vocals. That's what Chris is. She's simple and outstanding.
Chris Knight: I imagine Chris Knight as country the way Country SHOULD be. Hardcore, raw and completely honest. Not the sugar coated "honey bee" pop stuff that comes out today. Not the country/rock mix. But deep cutting words about the real hardships of life.
The Indigo Girls: They are a long time favorite and continue to be so! I love that they'll face some of the under appreciated controversial topics of our day and do it with style. Their harmonies are amazing, as so is their collaborations with other artists. Always always will be a favorite on my list!
Ani Difranco: She's grown up, but then so have I. I grew up with her in the 1990s, with her raw feminist ideals and wild hair. Now she's a mother, a wife and continues to crank out the controversy. Well so do I...so Rock on, Ani! Always a favorite.
Ben Harper: He's close to perfection in a lot of ways. I am so in love with his lyrics, of the way he can turn a phrase and a chord at the same time.
Rufus Wainwright: His voice is incredible and so are his words. I have been a fan of his for a few years now and I just continue to love his work. Twangy at times and soulful at others, he's got a little something for everybody in the folk/rock world.
Tracy Chapman: No folk/rock list is every complete without Tracy. She's been a driving force in the genre for years now. She's a powerful lyricist and story teller and an amazing woman.
These are just a few but I do hope you'll look into them. Music is so much a part of our soul and helps to shape our lives and identity. It should be genuine and real!
I thought I'd share a few of my favorite artists:
Joe Purdy: I found him a few years ago and continue to obsess over his catalogue. He's one of those lyricists that haunt you with lines of poetry mixed with a hard message. His voice is amazing, tender and gravelly all at once. Some of his albums it's just him and his guitar, some it's a full band. He borders on old school at times then pushes into folk rock. I am always delighted and surprised by his offerings. Check out his website, they have the option to listen to most of his catalogue online. The complete songs even.
Damian Rice: I admit, I liked Damien a whole lot better when he was with back up vocalist, Lisa Hannigan. But still, he's one of my go to artists when I want something deep, a bit dark and definately folksy. His lyrics are sometimes hard and sometimes soft, always filled with layers of meanings so that each listener can gain what they wish from them.
Kate Tucker: I'm obsessed with her voice! Kate snuck into my Ipod through the back door after I purchased a song "you may also like...". I didn't listen to the song for some time and suddenly it came across on shuffle. I was blown away by how sweet and simple her voice is. Her lyrics are pure and honest, sometimes raw and sometimes guarded. I immediately went and downloaded her entire albums and love every selection.
Chris Pureka: Raw lyrics about life and love and heartbreak mixed with some amazing guitar playing and vocals. That's what Chris is. She's simple and outstanding.
Chris Knight: I imagine Chris Knight as country the way Country SHOULD be. Hardcore, raw and completely honest. Not the sugar coated "honey bee" pop stuff that comes out today. Not the country/rock mix. But deep cutting words about the real hardships of life.
The Indigo Girls: They are a long time favorite and continue to be so! I love that they'll face some of the under appreciated controversial topics of our day and do it with style. Their harmonies are amazing, as so is their collaborations with other artists. Always always will be a favorite on my list!
Ani Difranco: She's grown up, but then so have I. I grew up with her in the 1990s, with her raw feminist ideals and wild hair. Now she's a mother, a wife and continues to crank out the controversy. Well so do I...so Rock on, Ani! Always a favorite.
Ben Harper: He's close to perfection in a lot of ways. I am so in love with his lyrics, of the way he can turn a phrase and a chord at the same time.
Rufus Wainwright: His voice is incredible and so are his words. I have been a fan of his for a few years now and I just continue to love his work. Twangy at times and soulful at others, he's got a little something for everybody in the folk/rock world.
Tracy Chapman: No folk/rock list is every complete without Tracy. She's been a driving force in the genre for years now. She's a powerful lyricist and story teller and an amazing woman.
These are just a few but I do hope you'll look into them. Music is so much a part of our soul and helps to shape our lives and identity. It should be genuine and real!
Friday, August 24, 2012
The "High Energy" dog
Okay, so the new puppy may not be exactly "high energy" by most peoples standards, but she's certainly a lot more high energy that we're used to, being the owners of small snuggley dogs like daschunds. So now that she's come to live with us, we've found that we need to walk her...sometimes more than twice a day. Now, this is NOT at all in my routine. (GASP! I know right..you'd think I'd be all over exercising! As tall and thin as I am...) Well, it's true. I hate to exercise. So maybe getting this dog was the best thing for me?
It forces me to get out with her and walk. She's a puppy now so we can go at a slow pace, which is good. It allows for my over 250+ body to get used to the motion. I've been giving her two walks a day, just around the block. But as she grows I know we'll need to increase this somewhat. Which will be good for me as well. And for the kids since I've forced them into this new routine with me...ahem. It's also good for our overweight daschund/beagle mix who has been joining us on one out of the two walks. (This gives me some one on one time with the puppy to work on our walking manners...which disappear entirely when the other dog joins in.)
Would you consider adopting a "high energy dog" as part of adopting a healthy lifestyle? I don't think it's a bad idea at all. It does keep you accountable to your routine, since the dog needs the exercise in order not to be a destructive hurricane of terror....er... I mean..."bored" dog. What do you do to exercise your dogs?
It forces me to get out with her and walk. She's a puppy now so we can go at a slow pace, which is good. It allows for my over 250+ body to get used to the motion. I've been giving her two walks a day, just around the block. But as she grows I know we'll need to increase this somewhat. Which will be good for me as well. And for the kids since I've forced them into this new routine with me...ahem. It's also good for our overweight daschund/beagle mix who has been joining us on one out of the two walks. (This gives me some one on one time with the puppy to work on our walking manners...which disappear entirely when the other dog joins in.)
Would you consider adopting a "high energy dog" as part of adopting a healthy lifestyle? I don't think it's a bad idea at all. It does keep you accountable to your routine, since the dog needs the exercise in order not to be a destructive hurricane of terror....er... I mean..."bored" dog. What do you do to exercise your dogs?
Thursday, August 23, 2012
BACK TO SCHOOL FLING!
It's back to school time! Let's have a little fun, shall we?
I know that spring cleaning is the thing to do, but can we do a little now? Oh yes..I think so! Let's do some de-cluttering!
Here is my challenge to you. Let's go into each room of our house and grab up ten....yes TEN items that we don't need. Ten items. In EACH room. Bathrooms too! Get a big bag and just chuck them in. Don't over think don't hesitate just grab items you know you'll not use, never used, are just collecting dust...and pitch them into the bag! We can sort them out later into "trash" or "donate" piles. Spend less than 5 minutes in each room. This is NOT the time to plan or ponder, this is the time to make de-clutter, to detach ourselves from material things and to bring some order to our chaos. Who is with me on this?
Let me know what all you got rid of and I'll show you mine!
I know that spring cleaning is the thing to do, but can we do a little now? Oh yes..I think so! Let's do some de-cluttering!
Here is my challenge to you. Let's go into each room of our house and grab up ten....yes TEN items that we don't need. Ten items. In EACH room. Bathrooms too! Get a big bag and just chuck them in. Don't over think don't hesitate just grab items you know you'll not use, never used, are just collecting dust...and pitch them into the bag! We can sort them out later into "trash" or "donate" piles. Spend less than 5 minutes in each room. This is NOT the time to plan or ponder, this is the time to make de-clutter, to detach ourselves from material things and to bring some order to our chaos. Who is with me on this?
Let me know what all you got rid of and I'll show you mine!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Deus ex Machina
I've always wanted to be a writer. When I was ten years old my parents got me software for the computer just for writing and creative writing. I'll never forget that, it was quite the thing back then (1990) to get software for a gift. When I was 18, I went into college with the hopes of fulfilling my writing dream, going in under a "Liberal Arts" major. But life happened. Suddenly I had a baby and we moved away from Cincinnati to Columbus. I needed to rethink my plan and going into Nursing seemed like the way to go. The school I looked into, Hocking College out of Nelsonville Ohio (Shout out to my alma mater) had a program where I could get my ADN (associates degree in nursing) in just two years. And if I wanted I could stop after just one year with my LPN liscence. That meant I could be working and supporting myself and my kiddo in fairly rapid time. It was never ever my first career choice, but it's certainly been a surprising and at times extremely rewarding one.
Recently I made the decision to go back to school. I'm enrolled in an RN to MSN program, which will bridge the gap from associates degree to Masters degree and allow me to be more...marketable. (At least I hope so).
But does this mean I've given up hopes of becoming a writer? Well, it's hard to do it all, isn't it? I dabble around with being an artist. I journal. I'm trying to be a good mother, student and blogger....but my heart has always been in creative/fiction writing. Can I pursue it amongst all this as well? I'd like to keep trying to. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be the next Charlaine Harris or J.K. Rowling?
Recently I made the decision to go back to school. I'm enrolled in an RN to MSN program, which will bridge the gap from associates degree to Masters degree and allow me to be more...marketable. (At least I hope so).
But does this mean I've given up hopes of becoming a writer? Well, it's hard to do it all, isn't it? I dabble around with being an artist. I journal. I'm trying to be a good mother, student and blogger....but my heart has always been in creative/fiction writing. Can I pursue it amongst all this as well? I'd like to keep trying to. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be the next Charlaine Harris or J.K. Rowling?
Monday, August 20, 2012
Homeschooling: A good option for a child with autism?
Four years ago we made the choice to pull my autistic son out of public schools and put him into homeschooling. (By we I mean..my mother and I. She does the teaching while I'm at work). Why did we do this? We felt that he wasn't getting the right support at our small county and poor school district.
Simon was diagnosed with asperger's disorder when he was in the 1st grade, when he was struggling profoundly with learing to read. This baffled me, because even though I was a nurse, I still held onto the idea that children with autism were...obvious. They don't look at you, they rock their bodies and don't speak. Simon did none of that, he looked at you, he sought affection and snuggled, he could speak decently despite having some speech impediments. Autism couldn't POSSIBLY be him....
Asperger's disorder was once described to me as "dysfunctional genius disorder" by one of his doctors, and that is something I've held onto with both hands tight. I KNOW how smart my son is, so why did he need special education? WHY couldn't he learn to read (something he still struggles with going into the 7th grade/8th grade). This same doctor was able to calm my fears about this, telling us that he couldn't read the letters simply had no meaning to him, as his brain was wired differently from the rest of the worlds. Simon also has dyslexia making the letters even more obscure. We prayed that special education would be the answer, smaller class room with aides for the students and special adaptive tools and assistance for children with austism. Sadly, it never worked. Simon backslid in school, while having to face the stigma of being in the "Stupid" class. Could he go into the regular class room with support? No...he still needed one on one attention because part of his aspergers is serious ADHD that makes it impossible to sit still and not be disruptive. I've spoken before about how we tried medications and eventually took him off everything, and this was also when we decided to home school.
At first we went with an online school program, a charter "cyber" school. They were incredibly supportive, helping us to set a program up for Simon that met is IEP (individualized education plan) needs as providing special adaptions to their curriculum (a new reading program designed for kids with autism, special adaptive speech to screen typing programs) they even sent a speech and occupational therapist to our home to work one on one with him.
This year, we've decided to break with the program though, and do a more traditional home school with pieced together curriculum from several homeschool courses. Why? We wanted to customize his education even further, to focus on his strengths (problem solving, science and math, visual thinking) to help with his weaknesses (language and spelling, writing, reading and memorization). In doing this, we're also able to meet him on each and every level he needs. For instance he's going to be starting a 9th grade math program while working on a lower reading level.
No, it's not ideal for every family and many schools are able to meet the needs of these special children. But for our family, this has been the answer to the autism, not the stumbling block. Fortunately for me, as a single parent, my mother was able to take this on (and WILLING to! This is a HUGE commitment!) Without that help it wouldn't be possible.
Considering home schooling? Homeschool yourself? What are your thoughts?
Simon was diagnosed with asperger's disorder when he was in the 1st grade, when he was struggling profoundly with learing to read. This baffled me, because even though I was a nurse, I still held onto the idea that children with autism were...obvious. They don't look at you, they rock their bodies and don't speak. Simon did none of that, he looked at you, he sought affection and snuggled, he could speak decently despite having some speech impediments. Autism couldn't POSSIBLY be him....
Asperger's disorder was once described to me as "dysfunctional genius disorder" by one of his doctors, and that is something I've held onto with both hands tight. I KNOW how smart my son is, so why did he need special education? WHY couldn't he learn to read (something he still struggles with going into the 7th grade/8th grade). This same doctor was able to calm my fears about this, telling us that he couldn't read the letters simply had no meaning to him, as his brain was wired differently from the rest of the worlds. Simon also has dyslexia making the letters even more obscure. We prayed that special education would be the answer, smaller class room with aides for the students and special adaptive tools and assistance for children with austism. Sadly, it never worked. Simon backslid in school, while having to face the stigma of being in the "Stupid" class. Could he go into the regular class room with support? No...he still needed one on one attention because part of his aspergers is serious ADHD that makes it impossible to sit still and not be disruptive. I've spoken before about how we tried medications and eventually took him off everything, and this was also when we decided to home school.
At first we went with an online school program, a charter "cyber" school. They were incredibly supportive, helping us to set a program up for Simon that met is IEP (individualized education plan) needs as providing special adaptions to their curriculum (a new reading program designed for kids with autism, special adaptive speech to screen typing programs) they even sent a speech and occupational therapist to our home to work one on one with him.
This year, we've decided to break with the program though, and do a more traditional home school with pieced together curriculum from several homeschool courses. Why? We wanted to customize his education even further, to focus on his strengths (problem solving, science and math, visual thinking) to help with his weaknesses (language and spelling, writing, reading and memorization). In doing this, we're also able to meet him on each and every level he needs. For instance he's going to be starting a 9th grade math program while working on a lower reading level.
No, it's not ideal for every family and many schools are able to meet the needs of these special children. But for our family, this has been the answer to the autism, not the stumbling block. Fortunately for me, as a single parent, my mother was able to take this on (and WILLING to! This is a HUGE commitment!) Without that help it wouldn't be possible.
Considering home schooling? Homeschool yourself? What are your thoughts?
Friday, August 17, 2012
Beating the 3pm BLAHS: A survival guide for the chronically tired office worker.
I would run for the fresh pot of coffee one of my coworkers would brew up every afternoon around 3pm. She called it her "Special" brew, but really it was just two of the packets of coffee in the industrial sized machine instead of one. The pot always would go FAST as fellow bored, tired and droopy co-workers would smell the pungent aroma, wafting lazily through the taupe walls of our prison. It was the ONLY way to get through the next two hours of bleary telephonic work.
Or so I thought.
Now, I'm working at home as a full time telecommuter, but I still feel the pull of the 3pm sleepies, that time frame after lunch where you get hit full on with the overwhelming need to nap, your productivity takes a plunge and everybody around you knows not to ask any questions or risk certain demise from your crankiness. This phenomenon is so widespread that they even made commercials for it, in an attempt to sell more nuts. (Mmmm...almonds...)
How do you combat this though? Is the double up caffeinated beverage the only answer? Should you swill one of those tiny little bottles that promise you "Hours and hours of energy"? Should you give in and take a snooze at your desk, risking the wrath and scorn of your superior? NO! (Unless you're planning on getting yourself fired anyway...then, go for it!)
Here are some suggestions for getting through the afternoon with enough pep to get through the rest of the afternoon.
1. Space out your meals. I was a desk eater and many of you probably are too. I never would take a proper "lunch" break but I'd often munch away while working, usually on the worst sorts of snacky items I could find (Some cookies to go with my double coffee? Oh....shortbread cookies!) Instead of snacking/grazing though, try eating three small meals while in the office (easy..break your breakfast into 2 meals, one at home and one for a mid morning snack, and your lunch into two meals...one at noon and the other around 2-3pm.) This will keep your blood sugar steady. Especially if you make sure to include some slow carbs AND protein with each mini meals.
Example:
Breakfast: 1 egg scrambled with 1/2 small zucchini. Top with salsa and a small amount of cheese if you wish (without cheese, you're paleo!)
Breakfast snack: 1/2 cup yogurt with 2 plums, or 2 Tbsp unsweetened raw almond butter with 1 apple (paleo)
Lunch: Large salad topped with 2 oz tuna, oil (1 tbsp olive, walnut or avocado) and cider vinegar (2 tbsp) to make a dressing, cucumber slices and mushrooms.
Lunch snack: 1 cucumber and 1 small tomato sliced and dressed (oil and vinegar) and 2 ounces of cooked chicken breast.
With each of these you get slow carbs from the fruits/veggies and protein to keep your blood sugar levels steadier. You're getting plenty of carbs, fat and protein, which will help you feel more awake and alert through out the day.
2. DRINK WATER: we are chronically dehydrated in this country. And yes, coffee is wet but it's not water, so don't reach for it! Start the day off before breakfast with a full 8 oz glass of water, and keep it going throughout the day. If you are feeling sleepy in the afternoon, go into the break room and fix yourself a glass. One of the signs of dehydration is confusion and lethargy, which feels a whole lot like the mid-afternoon sleepies.
3. Ditch the caffeine entirely: Whoa...sounds counter intuitive right? But caffeine is rough on your system. Coffee has a mildly diuretic effect which can pull off water leaving you a bit dehydrated (caffeinated tea does the same, along with irritation your bladder to make you need to go more frequently) and you go through the caffeine ups and down. Try switching to an herbal tea instead. If you want the "comfort" of a sweet warm drink, there are some awesome herbal chai teas out there. Fix a mug with stevia to sweeten and some REAL heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk) for cream. All the comfort of coffee, bold taste and warm comfort.
4. Knock out the sugar: Jam on your toast in the morning, a donut at that breakfast meeting you're forced to attend, a slice of your bosses "world famous" chocolate peanut butter cake, a handful of the chocolates the receptionist keeps...(EVERY time you walk buy...), a mid afternoon soda pop...suddenly you're swimming in SUGAR! Offices are full of the stuff. I swear it's the only way sometimes that people don't kill each other during the long dull goal meetings. Avoid it at all costs! Sugar is not the answer to your 3pm lack of energy. In fact, it will only make the rest of the day that much harder at it hits your system full steam them BAM, is gone, leaving your cells wondering what to do next. Instead practice the slow but steady eating described above, and keep those blood sugar levels EVEN, which also will help keep the cravings down.
5. Take a lunch time walk: I loved seeing the girls who I work with doing this. They'd be out hoofing it, in their business casual wear and sneakers, name badge pinned primly to their hips as they moved down the office park road. Walking, or any other form of exercise will help to stimulate you're brain, moving oxygen into your cells and keeping you awake and alert! It also helps to move sugars/carbs into your cells which gives them more energy. Not to mention the fresh air outdoors is a HUGE improvement to stuffy office air. Trees, sunshine, wind...all help to reduce office related stress and fatigue. Don't think about work, put on some tunes and walk!
6. Organize a book club in the office: If you can't walk at lunch, meet up with your buddies and talk about something OTHER than work. This will give you the mental stimulation you may need to be able to tackle the rest of your day. A book club is a good idea, or you can talk movies or play games. Anything but worrying over the meeting coming up that afternoon or the new regulations rolling out. Make your lunch hour your own, your time to decompress so the rest of the afternoon won't drag.
7. Get enough sleep at night: This seems a no-brainer but really, it's hard! Try for a 10pm bed time, every single night. That may mean you need to have the TV OFF at 9pm (no prime time TV..sorry) so you can spend an hour winding down for bed. Read during this time, stay off the computer or tablet ( the back lit screen can mess with your sleep cycles). When bedtime comes, settle into a quiet dark room. If you have trouble falling asleep, try standing up on the side of the bed and reading THE MOST BORING book you have in your arsenal. You'll start to feel sleepy in no time. If you still can't fall asleep, repeat the process. Keep doing this for several nights and you'll "train" yourself that sleep time is sleep time.
8. Before you sleep, avoid wine or alcohol: Yes this is a night time thing, what does it have to with the 3pm sleepies? Well, a good nights sleep goes a long way to getting through the next day. Alcohol, despite making you sleepy, will NOT promote a good nights sleep. It only hinders you getting through a good normal sleep cycle, so don't go for the night cap. Try some herbal tea instead.
9. Keep your body temp steady while in the office: Dress in layers. It's always inevitably to hot or to cold in most offices so come prepared. Keep a sweater at the back of your chair, some fingerless mitts or make sure you can take off your suit jacket. Anything to keep you comfortable because being to hot or cold will lead to you feeling tired.
10. Keep a small fan at your desk: Offices are stuffy places filled with chemicals that rise from everything from printers to carpets. Most of them also don't allow for opening windows to let in fresh air. Keeping a small fan on at all times will help to move the air around you, making it feel "fresher". Fresh air does wonders for keeping you alert!
Have any thoughts or tips of your own? Let me know!
(*In the interest of full disclosure, I am writing this blog at 1:12 pm...while drinking a cup of fully caffeinated coffee. Hey, I never said I was perfect! )
Or so I thought.
Now, I'm working at home as a full time telecommuter, but I still feel the pull of the 3pm sleepies, that time frame after lunch where you get hit full on with the overwhelming need to nap, your productivity takes a plunge and everybody around you knows not to ask any questions or risk certain demise from your crankiness. This phenomenon is so widespread that they even made commercials for it, in an attempt to sell more nuts. (Mmmm...almonds...)
How do you combat this though? Is the double up caffeinated beverage the only answer? Should you swill one of those tiny little bottles that promise you "Hours and hours of energy"? Should you give in and take a snooze at your desk, risking the wrath and scorn of your superior? NO! (Unless you're planning on getting yourself fired anyway...then, go for it!)
Here are some suggestions for getting through the afternoon with enough pep to get through the rest of the afternoon.
1. Space out your meals. I was a desk eater and many of you probably are too. I never would take a proper "lunch" break but I'd often munch away while working, usually on the worst sorts of snacky items I could find (Some cookies to go with my double coffee? Oh....shortbread cookies!) Instead of snacking/grazing though, try eating three small meals while in the office (easy..break your breakfast into 2 meals, one at home and one for a mid morning snack, and your lunch into two meals...one at noon and the other around 2-3pm.) This will keep your blood sugar steady. Especially if you make sure to include some slow carbs AND protein with each mini meals.
Example:
Breakfast: 1 egg scrambled with 1/2 small zucchini. Top with salsa and a small amount of cheese if you wish (without cheese, you're paleo!)
Breakfast snack: 1/2 cup yogurt with 2 plums, or 2 Tbsp unsweetened raw almond butter with 1 apple (paleo)
Lunch: Large salad topped with 2 oz tuna, oil (1 tbsp olive, walnut or avocado) and cider vinegar (2 tbsp) to make a dressing, cucumber slices and mushrooms.
Lunch snack: 1 cucumber and 1 small tomato sliced and dressed (oil and vinegar) and 2 ounces of cooked chicken breast.
With each of these you get slow carbs from the fruits/veggies and protein to keep your blood sugar levels steadier. You're getting plenty of carbs, fat and protein, which will help you feel more awake and alert through out the day.
2. DRINK WATER: we are chronically dehydrated in this country. And yes, coffee is wet but it's not water, so don't reach for it! Start the day off before breakfast with a full 8 oz glass of water, and keep it going throughout the day. If you are feeling sleepy in the afternoon, go into the break room and fix yourself a glass. One of the signs of dehydration is confusion and lethargy, which feels a whole lot like the mid-afternoon sleepies.
3. Ditch the caffeine entirely: Whoa...sounds counter intuitive right? But caffeine is rough on your system. Coffee has a mildly diuretic effect which can pull off water leaving you a bit dehydrated (caffeinated tea does the same, along with irritation your bladder to make you need to go more frequently) and you go through the caffeine ups and down. Try switching to an herbal tea instead. If you want the "comfort" of a sweet warm drink, there are some awesome herbal chai teas out there. Fix a mug with stevia to sweeten and some REAL heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk) for cream. All the comfort of coffee, bold taste and warm comfort.
4. Knock out the sugar: Jam on your toast in the morning, a donut at that breakfast meeting you're forced to attend, a slice of your bosses "world famous" chocolate peanut butter cake, a handful of the chocolates the receptionist keeps...(EVERY time you walk buy...), a mid afternoon soda pop...suddenly you're swimming in SUGAR! Offices are full of the stuff. I swear it's the only way sometimes that people don't kill each other during the long dull goal meetings. Avoid it at all costs! Sugar is not the answer to your 3pm lack of energy. In fact, it will only make the rest of the day that much harder at it hits your system full steam them BAM, is gone, leaving your cells wondering what to do next. Instead practice the slow but steady eating described above, and keep those blood sugar levels EVEN, which also will help keep the cravings down.
5. Take a lunch time walk: I loved seeing the girls who I work with doing this. They'd be out hoofing it, in their business casual wear and sneakers, name badge pinned primly to their hips as they moved down the office park road. Walking, or any other form of exercise will help to stimulate you're brain, moving oxygen into your cells and keeping you awake and alert! It also helps to move sugars/carbs into your cells which gives them more energy. Not to mention the fresh air outdoors is a HUGE improvement to stuffy office air. Trees, sunshine, wind...all help to reduce office related stress and fatigue. Don't think about work, put on some tunes and walk!
6. Organize a book club in the office: If you can't walk at lunch, meet up with your buddies and talk about something OTHER than work. This will give you the mental stimulation you may need to be able to tackle the rest of your day. A book club is a good idea, or you can talk movies or play games. Anything but worrying over the meeting coming up that afternoon or the new regulations rolling out. Make your lunch hour your own, your time to decompress so the rest of the afternoon won't drag.
7. Get enough sleep at night: This seems a no-brainer but really, it's hard! Try for a 10pm bed time, every single night. That may mean you need to have the TV OFF at 9pm (no prime time TV..sorry) so you can spend an hour winding down for bed. Read during this time, stay off the computer or tablet ( the back lit screen can mess with your sleep cycles). When bedtime comes, settle into a quiet dark room. If you have trouble falling asleep, try standing up on the side of the bed and reading THE MOST BORING book you have in your arsenal. You'll start to feel sleepy in no time. If you still can't fall asleep, repeat the process. Keep doing this for several nights and you'll "train" yourself that sleep time is sleep time.
8. Before you sleep, avoid wine or alcohol: Yes this is a night time thing, what does it have to with the 3pm sleepies? Well, a good nights sleep goes a long way to getting through the next day. Alcohol, despite making you sleepy, will NOT promote a good nights sleep. It only hinders you getting through a good normal sleep cycle, so don't go for the night cap. Try some herbal tea instead.
9. Keep your body temp steady while in the office: Dress in layers. It's always inevitably to hot or to cold in most offices so come prepared. Keep a sweater at the back of your chair, some fingerless mitts or make sure you can take off your suit jacket. Anything to keep you comfortable because being to hot or cold will lead to you feeling tired.
10. Keep a small fan at your desk: Offices are stuffy places filled with chemicals that rise from everything from printers to carpets. Most of them also don't allow for opening windows to let in fresh air. Keeping a small fan on at all times will help to move the air around you, making it feel "fresher". Fresh air does wonders for keeping you alert!
Have any thoughts or tips of your own? Let me know!
(*In the interest of full disclosure, I am writing this blog at 1:12 pm...while drinking a cup of fully caffeinated coffee. Hey, I never said I was perfect! )
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Living Crunchy and..picking your battles?
I live in a "co-habitation" arrangement with my parents. No, I'm not a lazy 30 something who can't get her act together! We found it to be mutually beneficial on many levels. Financially it gives us all a lot more wiggle room, personally my son home schools and my mother is able to do this. Also with three speical needs kids, it sometimes takes three adults to stay on top of them all! Plus many hands make light work, our house keeping arrangements work out better than if I was on my own, trying to do it all on my own. But it's not always an EASY arrangement, as any adult child who has ever resided with their parents knows all to well. There's always the inevitable power struggle, the stand for being seen as an ADULT and not longer a child and learning to find balance with people who were historically 'your boss' and are now your "ally and supprt." It can be done though, and we're hitting that balance fairly nicely.
But it does mean picking your battles at times.
For instance, our financial wiggle room is now better but we are not out of the woods as far as debt goes. We all have to watch our budgets pretty carefully. Now, I'm guilty in my grand schemes of crunchy idealism of trying to subject the family to bouts of healthy eating, healthy cleaning and healthy living that may strain the family budget (and ah...tastebuds). I've had to learn that I can talk and talk but some things are just going to remain the same. I will NEVER completely abolish the appearnce of snack foods in this house for instance. Chips, cookies, ice creams, sugar, kool-aid...they all march through here routinely and I have to accept that this will always be the case. I can limit the quanities that are consumed by myself and my son and my sisters even to some extent, but they will never be gone completely. That's just a fact of life since I do not have 100% control of the household grocery expenses. And.....I'm okay with it. It's a balance afterall. If I can get my folks on board with a MOSTLY low sugar and high protien diet for my autistic kid, I'm doing okay. They can make the choices for what they eat for themselves and that's okay too. We're adults.
I can not set myself on hard limits 100% of the time, and that goes I'm sure for any relationship you may be in, whether it's parents or spouses or adult children or even bosses/co-workers you are dealing with. We give and we take, we compromise. I get to limit the access to the video games...grandpa still gets to buy him the fun games he loves and be the fun grandpa he wants to be. I can implement small changes (getting everybody on MOSTLY whole grains...if they're going to eat grains) and those are important steps.
I guess I'm telling you guys this out of the need to self disclose. We don't practice our crunch 100% here because we're not all 100% on board with the program. And chances are the same will happen in your world. It's not the end of the world if that is the case..make what changes you can, as you can. It may take a while to get to that crunchy state of bliss, and maybe it will only ever effect you alone and not the rest of the house hold. But at least awareness has been raised, right?
But it does mean picking your battles at times.
For instance, our financial wiggle room is now better but we are not out of the woods as far as debt goes. We all have to watch our budgets pretty carefully. Now, I'm guilty in my grand schemes of crunchy idealism of trying to subject the family to bouts of healthy eating, healthy cleaning and healthy living that may strain the family budget (and ah...tastebuds). I've had to learn that I can talk and talk but some things are just going to remain the same. I will NEVER completely abolish the appearnce of snack foods in this house for instance. Chips, cookies, ice creams, sugar, kool-aid...they all march through here routinely and I have to accept that this will always be the case. I can limit the quanities that are consumed by myself and my son and my sisters even to some extent, but they will never be gone completely. That's just a fact of life since I do not have 100% control of the household grocery expenses. And.....I'm okay with it. It's a balance afterall. If I can get my folks on board with a MOSTLY low sugar and high protien diet for my autistic kid, I'm doing okay. They can make the choices for what they eat for themselves and that's okay too. We're adults.
I can not set myself on hard limits 100% of the time, and that goes I'm sure for any relationship you may be in, whether it's parents or spouses or adult children or even bosses/co-workers you are dealing with. We give and we take, we compromise. I get to limit the access to the video games...grandpa still gets to buy him the fun games he loves and be the fun grandpa he wants to be. I can implement small changes (getting everybody on MOSTLY whole grains...if they're going to eat grains) and those are important steps.
I guess I'm telling you guys this out of the need to self disclose. We don't practice our crunch 100% here because we're not all 100% on board with the program. And chances are the same will happen in your world. It's not the end of the world if that is the case..make what changes you can, as you can. It may take a while to get to that crunchy state of bliss, and maybe it will only ever effect you alone and not the rest of the house hold. But at least awareness has been raised, right?
Saturday, August 11, 2012
I LOVE the mixed media community
I've been in a number of online communities in my day (I was a teenager in the 90s...I grew up with AOL!) I've done role playing, fan fiction writing, crafting and knitting communities and recently I've been following the world of "Mixed media" art as I'm trying to branch out into being an "artist" myself.
I love this community! We are a crunchy bunch, happy to drop paint all over any old item (cardboard? Used cereal boxes? tin cans? Oh yeah! Bring it on!) I love the freedom of being able to combine watercolor, acrylics, crayons, clay, glitter, glue, collage, sketching, craft paint, expensive paints and so on and so on...all in one piece if you want! I love the ladies and gentlemen who are fearless enough to try this! I love how everybody gets so ramped up for new artists, new classes and new ideas and will willing share tips, tricks and techniques oftentimes for free. I love that there's a class and place for everybody, from the cutesy to the grungey and back again.
Some of my favorite places?
Ady Almanza's www.dolldreams.ning.com
Stephanie Gagos' www.healingtruthsanctuary.com
Less Herger and company's www.artjournaling.ning.com
Effy Wild and her Glitterhood at http://bookofdays.org/
Willowing at www.willowing.ning.com
Suzi at www.suziblu.ning.com
Carla Sonheim at http://www.carlasonheim.com/
YOUTUBE and all the wonderful free videows from people like :
Milliande
Diana Trout
Traci Bunkers
Tracy Bautista
Donna Downey
and on and on and on...it's really an amazing community! Check it out, even if you don't think art is for you, you will likely surprise yourself at what you discover you CAN do!
I love this community! We are a crunchy bunch, happy to drop paint all over any old item (cardboard? Used cereal boxes? tin cans? Oh yeah! Bring it on!) I love the freedom of being able to combine watercolor, acrylics, crayons, clay, glitter, glue, collage, sketching, craft paint, expensive paints and so on and so on...all in one piece if you want! I love the ladies and gentlemen who are fearless enough to try this! I love how everybody gets so ramped up for new artists, new classes and new ideas and will willing share tips, tricks and techniques oftentimes for free. I love that there's a class and place for everybody, from the cutesy to the grungey and back again.
Some of my favorite places?
Ady Almanza's www.dolldreams.ning.com
Stephanie Gagos' www.healingtruthsanctuary.com
Less Herger and company's www.artjournaling.ning.com
Effy Wild and her Glitterhood at http://bookofdays.org/
Willowing at www.willowing.ning.com
Suzi at www.suziblu.ning.com
Carla Sonheim at http://www.carlasonheim.com/
YOUTUBE and all the wonderful free videows from people like :
Milliande
Diana Trout
Traci Bunkers
Tracy Bautista
Donna Downey
and on and on and on...it's really an amazing community! Check it out, even if you don't think art is for you, you will likely surprise yourself at what you discover you CAN do!
Friday, August 10, 2012
What is Aspartame?
Pink, blue or yellow? You probably know when asked that question that it means do you want a pink packet of sweetner, a blue or a yellow packet of artifical sweetners. Do you wonder what is is them? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it's just ingrained into you to automatically reach for the color of your preference. Maybe you've done the research on them already and feel comfortable with your intake of artificial sweetners. And that's okay. But do you pay attention to what artificial sweetners are in the food items you buy? Most likely it's aspartame that is being used. So, what is Aspartame anyway?
Usually it's packaged as nutrasweet and was originally made by the Monsanto corporation. (Remember them? Big time makers of GMO corn and soy?) While they no longer make or sell the product, it will be forever linked in history that this is there baby. Aspartame has undergone a lot of public (and not so public) debate as far as safety is concerned and the current stance of the U.S. government is that it is, at current levels of consumption, by all means safe. The biggest concern is for people of suffer from phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder.
So, is it safe? Well, the debate still rages on. There have been articles that link it to neurotoxity, weight gain, cancer and many other maladies. It is, according to the FDA "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved". It is found in just about everything from jello-o to baked goods to low sugar yogurts and sodas.
I guess, the bottom line is, know what it's in and make the decision yourself as to it's safety. We personally here stay away from it.
Usually it's packaged as nutrasweet and was originally made by the Monsanto corporation. (Remember them? Big time makers of GMO corn and soy?) While they no longer make or sell the product, it will be forever linked in history that this is there baby. Aspartame has undergone a lot of public (and not so public) debate as far as safety is concerned and the current stance of the U.S. government is that it is, at current levels of consumption, by all means safe. The biggest concern is for people of suffer from phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder.
So, is it safe? Well, the debate still rages on. There have been articles that link it to neurotoxity, weight gain, cancer and many other maladies. It is, according to the FDA "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved". It is found in just about everything from jello-o to baked goods to low sugar yogurts and sodas.
I guess, the bottom line is, know what it's in and make the decision yourself as to it's safety. We personally here stay away from it.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
What is Sulphur Dioxide?
Another preservative found in a lot of places is Sulphur Dioxide. It has been known to severely affect people with asthma, especially children, if they are sensetive to it. It is also one of the major pollutants in the U.S. and forms what we know of as acid rain. It can come from the break down of fuels. Inhaled it affects children more than adults because they take in more air per weight. It's one of the agents used in wine making.
You'll find it in dried fruits, soft drinks, preserved meats and wines.
I'll finish this little look into the world of food preservation here, and leave you with this article on the top ten food additives to avoid. We didn't cover them all but you should look for yourself as well! It's an interesting and scary world out there, it bears consideration each and everytime you put an item into your cart. I don't want to leave you feeling scared but..more aware. We can't just to through this blindly trusting.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/top-10-food-additives-to-avoid
You'll find it in dried fruits, soft drinks, preserved meats and wines.
I'll finish this little look into the world of food preservation here, and leave you with this article on the top ten food additives to avoid. We didn't cover them all but you should look for yourself as well! It's an interesting and scary world out there, it bears consideration each and everytime you put an item into your cart. I don't want to leave you feeling scared but..more aware. We can't just to through this blindly trusting.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/top-10-food-additives-to-avoid
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
What is Sodium Nitrate (Or Nitrite)?
Sodium Nitrate sounds delicious! I think I'll have a second helping of it in my next turkey....oh wait, that's very likely since it's very commonly used as a food preservative in poultry and meat products here in the states. I won't have to look any further to find a good whopping helping of it. Just check out the lunch meat aisle!
Sodium nitrate may be used as a constituent of fertilizers, pyrotechnics and smoke bombs, glass and pottery enamels, as a food preservative and a solid rocket propellant. It has been mined extensively for these purposes. (Wikipedia)
Wow, really? Rocket propellant? Fertalizer? That sounds AWESOME! Who knew my bologna was so explosive! Well, the FDA knows. Sodium Nitrate and Nitrites make nitrosamines in the human body, which have been linked to cancers including esophageal and gastric. They are also known to increase the death rate of those who have parkinsons, diabetes and alzheimers, through their damaging effect to DNA. Coincidentally, these nitrosamines are also formed in humans from potassium nitrate or nitrites.
You'll find these, as I said above, used a lot in the preservation of meat products (hot dogs, bologna, sausages, chicken, lunch meats...) Definately something to think about when you pack up your kids lunches.
Sodium nitrate may be used as a constituent of fertilizers, pyrotechnics and smoke bombs, glass and pottery enamels, as a food preservative and a solid rocket propellant. It has been mined extensively for these purposes. (Wikipedia)
Wow, really? Rocket propellant? Fertalizer? That sounds AWESOME! Who knew my bologna was so explosive! Well, the FDA knows. Sodium Nitrate and Nitrites make nitrosamines in the human body, which have been linked to cancers including esophageal and gastric. They are also known to increase the death rate of those who have parkinsons, diabetes and alzheimers, through their damaging effect to DNA. Coincidentally, these nitrosamines are also formed in humans from potassium nitrate or nitrites.
You'll find these, as I said above, used a lot in the preservation of meat products (hot dogs, bologna, sausages, chicken, lunch meats...) Definately something to think about when you pack up your kids lunches.
Monday, August 6, 2012
What is "Caramel Color"
I LOVE caramels. I once went on an obsessive search for salted caramels, prompting me to pay an exorbitant amount of money for some home made ones from Etsy.com. I suppose I could make them myself, yes but this love is not rational. The thought of deep and rich caramel brings me to my happy place. And it probably does for a lot of people, which is why "caramel coloring" is such a popular item on the old ingredient list these days.
But what is it exactly? Burnt sugars rubbed all over your holiday ham to make it have that rich "right out of the oven" look? Er...well, no. It's made chemically burning carbohydrates (Fructose, dextrose ect.) along with alkalais or salts. It's one of the oldest tricks in the recent culinary coloring world and the colors range from deep dark to tan. Most of it (3/4s) is used in the making of beverages (ah..our good friend soda pop!) There are different processes in making it and different classifications of colorings which may...or may not...involve the use of ammonium and/or sulfites in the manufacturing. It is "generally recognized as safe" by the USDA.
It can, however, be allergen since it can be made using allergens such as lactose (derived from milk), glucose (made from wheat) and or malt syrup (barley). If you see it on the label, there should be an allergy listing at the bottom which will tell you where it comes from. ("This product may contain wheat and milk"). You'll find caramel coloring in everything from breads to beers.
There have been some studies done that link caramel colorings to cancer, especially if ammonia is used in it's processing. The trouble is..how do you know? You'll find in the U.S. that it only needs to be labeled as "caramel color".
Here is an excellent article with more information: http://www.cspinet.org/new/201102161.html
But what is it exactly? Burnt sugars rubbed all over your holiday ham to make it have that rich "right out of the oven" look? Er...well, no. It's made chemically burning carbohydrates (Fructose, dextrose ect.) along with alkalais or salts. It's one of the oldest tricks in the recent culinary coloring world and the colors range from deep dark to tan. Most of it (3/4s) is used in the making of beverages (ah..our good friend soda pop!) There are different processes in making it and different classifications of colorings which may...or may not...involve the use of ammonium and/or sulfites in the manufacturing. It is "generally recognized as safe" by the USDA.
It can, however, be allergen since it can be made using allergens such as lactose (derived from milk), glucose (made from wheat) and or malt syrup (barley). If you see it on the label, there should be an allergy listing at the bottom which will tell you where it comes from. ("This product may contain wheat and milk"). You'll find caramel coloring in everything from breads to beers.
There have been some studies done that link caramel colorings to cancer, especially if ammonia is used in it's processing. The trouble is..how do you know? You'll find in the U.S. that it only needs to be labeled as "caramel color".
Here is an excellent article with more information: http://www.cspinet.org/new/201102161.html
Sunday, August 5, 2012
What is (BHA) and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)?
These are food additives that are used as a preservative to keep food from spoilage. BHA and BHT can be found in butter, meats, chewing gum, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and even beer. These additives are approved by the FDA as safe for human consumption. However, they are proven carcinogens. There is proof that some people have difficulty metabolizing BHA and this can result in health and behavioral changes. They are KNOWN to cause hyperactivity in children.
Wait. Read that again. It's is a KNOWN fact that they cause hyperactivity.
They are also considered carcinogens by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Yet..it's considered safe to add to foods.
Nice, isn't it?
Wait. Read that again. It's is a KNOWN fact that they cause hyperactivity.
They are also considered carcinogens by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Yet..it's considered safe to add to foods.
Nice, isn't it?
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Lecithin or soy lecithin?
Somewhere, sometime ago I decided to try lecithin as a supplement. For the life of me, now I can't even remember why. I know I didn't have any bad reactions to it, that I was aware of. Lately I've been noticing it on ingredients lists. A LOT. Usually tucked away near the bottom (which means in the smallest quantities of the other ingredients.) So, what is it anyway?
This article sums it up pretty neatly, so I'll just share with you, rather than writing it out myself:
http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/07/07/what-is-soy-lecithin-and-why-is-it-found-in-so-many-products/
This article sums it up pretty neatly, so I'll just share with you, rather than writing it out myself:
http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/07/07/what-is-soy-lecithin-and-why-is-it-found-in-so-many-products/
Friday, August 3, 2012
What are Sulfites?
Sulfites are another preservative found in foods, but they are also naturally occuring (most wines have naturally occuring sulfites in them, which is why they give me a nasty headache). They are counted in the top nine for food allergens. The trouble is though, the reaction is not a true allergic reaction and most people would not test positive for sulfites on an allergy test. People at risk for having reactions are asthmatics and people who have sensetivities to aspirin (salicylate sensetivity). The reaction can be quick and severe including respiratory distress and even anaphalaxyis.
The problem here in the U.S. is that sulfites may not be labled on food products, and often are not. According to Wikipedia:
In the U.S., labeling regulations do not require products to indicate the presence of sulfites in foods unless it is added specifically as a preservative;[7] however, many companies voluntarily label sulfite-containing foods. Sulfites used in food processing but not specifically added as a preservative are only required to be listed if there are more than 10 parts per million (ppm) in the finished product. The products most likely to contain sulfites (fruits and alcoholic beverages less than 10ppm) do not require ingredients labels, so the presence of sulfites is usually undisclosed.
So chances are you consume them. On a regular basis. And don't realize it. And, you may not even be aware that you have a sensitivity to them. This is something I know I've battled with on a personal level. My mom has been a long time sufferer of horrific headaches related to foods with MSG and with sulfites and I myself will get a profound headache if I consome them in great quantity (a glass of wine has me whipped).
They have been used for years as a food preseravitive as they do extend the shelf lives of food significantly. Sensetivities can develop at any time during a persons life span and you may never be aware of what it is that is causing you to feel poorly. It is important if you have a reaction, to talk to your doctor about it. As I said previously, it's hard to know exactly what these are found in, and sometimes they are there purely by nature. Not everybody will react severely and there's a "trigger point" of exposure that is different for everybody who does have a sensetivity. It's something to be mindful of though, especially if you have asthma.
Here is an FDA guideline of foods that MAY (even they're unsure) contain sulfites:
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/additive/sulf_tbl.htm
The problem here in the U.S. is that sulfites may not be labled on food products, and often are not. According to Wikipedia:
In the U.S., labeling regulations do not require products to indicate the presence of sulfites in foods unless it is added specifically as a preservative;[7] however, many companies voluntarily label sulfite-containing foods. Sulfites used in food processing but not specifically added as a preservative are only required to be listed if there are more than 10 parts per million (ppm) in the finished product. The products most likely to contain sulfites (fruits and alcoholic beverages less than 10ppm) do not require ingredients labels, so the presence of sulfites is usually undisclosed.
So chances are you consume them. On a regular basis. And don't realize it. And, you may not even be aware that you have a sensitivity to them. This is something I know I've battled with on a personal level. My mom has been a long time sufferer of horrific headaches related to foods with MSG and with sulfites and I myself will get a profound headache if I consome them in great quantity (a glass of wine has me whipped).
They have been used for years as a food preseravitive as they do extend the shelf lives of food significantly. Sensetivities can develop at any time during a persons life span and you may never be aware of what it is that is causing you to feel poorly. It is important if you have a reaction, to talk to your doctor about it. As I said previously, it's hard to know exactly what these are found in, and sometimes they are there purely by nature. Not everybody will react severely and there's a "trigger point" of exposure that is different for everybody who does have a sensetivity. It's something to be mindful of though, especially if you have asthma.
Here is an FDA guideline of foods that MAY (even they're unsure) contain sulfites:
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/additive/sulf_tbl.htm
Thursday, August 2, 2012
What are "Natural Flavors"?
You flip over your bottle of creamy salad dressing and scan the ingrediant list. You may or may not be shocked by the sheer number of items listed. You may or may not be shocked that most of them are unpronouncable. But it's just ranch right? Yummy, low in calories because we're watching our weight salad dressing. It'll go on some healthy greens and...oh look! It's natural! See right there, it says "natural flavors". Yay!
Hmmm...what are natural flavors anyway? Well, I'd think condensed versions of the original flavor, added in to make it all better. Like, the essence of sour cream and onions added into my dressing....but I'd be wrong to think that. Flavorings are focused on altering or enhancing the flavors of natural food product such as meats and vegetables, or creating flavor for food products that do not have the desired flavors such as candies and other snacks. Most types of flavorings are focused on scent and taste (Wikipedia). No, "natural flavors" are not really all that natural but can include a number of agents, including legally glutamates (as in MSG biproducts) and they don't have to be disclosed as long as they are "reasonably safe". Glutamates, in case you don't know, are what is called an excitoxin. Ohhh..sounds like fun, right? But there are many other "natural flavorings" added to foods, meant to enhance the foods we love. Some of them are indeed..natural. Essential oils and such, but they come in unregulated amounts. Some of them...bi-products of other industries (petroleum).
And they are in EVERYTHING (seemingly).
This is an interesting blog post on the topic: http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/01/chemical-warfare-with-natural-flavor/
Why can't they just be honest to us? Let us know what's really going into our foods?
Hmmm...what are natural flavors anyway? Well, I'd think condensed versions of the original flavor, added in to make it all better. Like, the essence of sour cream and onions added into my dressing....but I'd be wrong to think that. Flavorings are focused on altering or enhancing the flavors of natural food product such as meats and vegetables, or creating flavor for food products that do not have the desired flavors such as candies and other snacks. Most types of flavorings are focused on scent and taste (Wikipedia). No, "natural flavors" are not really all that natural but can include a number of agents, including legally glutamates (as in MSG biproducts) and they don't have to be disclosed as long as they are "reasonably safe". Glutamates, in case you don't know, are what is called an excitoxin. Ohhh..sounds like fun, right? But there are many other "natural flavorings" added to foods, meant to enhance the foods we love. Some of them are indeed..natural. Essential oils and such, but they come in unregulated amounts. Some of them...bi-products of other industries (petroleum).
And they are in EVERYTHING (seemingly).
This is an interesting blog post on the topic: http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/01/chemical-warfare-with-natural-flavor/
Why can't they just be honest to us? Let us know what's really going into our foods?
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
What is Propyl Gallate?
Just a quickie as we continue on with our tour of food additives:
http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/09/10/10-things-to-know-about-propyl-gallate/
http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/09/10/10-things-to-know-about-propyl-gallate/
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